Swivel truck for monorail cars



Jan, 13. 1

T. H. WRIGHT SWIVEL TRUCK FOR MONORAIL CARS Filed April 5, 1925 Patented Jan. 13, 1925.

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THOMAS H. WRIGHT, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

SWIVEL TRUCK FOR MONORAIL CARS.

Application filed April 23, 1923.

To aZZ whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS H. IVRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Swivel Trucks for Monorail Cars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to rolling stock for monorails, and the purpose of my invention is the provision of a monorail car, locomotive or truck having means by which the supporting and driving mechanism is mounted to swivel with respect to the car chassis to allow the car to traverse the curves of a monorail track, or to be locked against movement when the car is traversing a straight stretch of track.

It is also the purpose of my invention to provide an extremely, simple, and efficient form of driving mechanism, and means for supplying current to the driving mechanism during the movement of the car along the track.

Although I have herein shown and will describe only one form of monorail car embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the impending claims.

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. 1 is a view showing in side elevation and partly in section one form of monorail car embodying my invention in applied position to a monorail track.

Fig. 2 is a view showing an end elevation of the monorail car shown in Fig. 1 and in applied position to a monorail track.

Fig. 3 is a detailed bottom plane view showing the supporting trucks comprised in the monorail car shown in the preceding views.

Figs. 4: and 5 are fragmentary sectional views taken on the lines 4 -d and 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring specifically to the drawing in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, my invention in its present embodiment comprises a chassis 15 having arranged on its under side two or more driving and supporting mechanisms. In the present instance I have shown two such mechanisms arranged adjacent the opposite ends of the chassis but it is to be unden stood that any number and arrangement of Serial No. 633,882.

these characters may be provided without departing from the spirit of the lnvention.

As shown to advantage in Figs. 2 and 3,

each supporting and driving mechanism comprises a ring-shaped fiat member 16 secured to the under side of the chassis 15 and carrying a plurality of pins or bolts 17 each of which as clearly shown in Fig. 1 is adapted to work in a slot 18 formed in a second fiat member 19. These pins 17 and slots 18 are arranged at desired intervals within the members 16 and 19 so as to support the member 19 for limited oscillatory movement beneath the member 16, and although I have shown four pins and four slots it is to be understood that any number can be employed. The pins or bolts 17 are such as to support the lower member 19 in sliding contact with the member 16 and without the necessity of employing movable bearing members between the two.

As illustrated to advantage in Fig. 3, the lower member 19 is provided with bearings 20 in which are journaled the ends of a shaft 21, a flanged wheel 22 being secured to the shaft 21 and disposed within openings 23 of the members 16 and 19. The member 19 is provided with an extension 24: to the lower side of which is secured an electric motor 25, and this motor is operatively connected to the shaft 21 through the medium of a sprocket wheel 26 fixed-to the shaft 21, a sprocket wheel 27 fixed to the shaft of the motor 25, and a chain 28 trained about both of the sprocket wheels so that when the motor shaft is rotated movement will be imparted to the shaft 21 for driving the wheel 22.

I11 the applied position of the monorail car as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the wheels 22 are mounted for rolling contact upon the monorail 29. The monorail 29 is supported upon a structure including divergent beams 30 to which are secured guide rails 31. Guide rollers 32, are adapted to contact with the guide rails 31, and these rollers are supported by hangers 32 secured to the chassis.

For supplying current to the motor 25, a trolley pole 33 is mounted upon the chassis for universal movement, and the wheel 3th thereof is urged into engagement with a trolley wire 35 by means of a spring 36. The trolley wire 35 is supported by the beams 30 at one side of the rail 29 and through the medium of brackets 37. From secure the trolley poles 33 current is supplied to the motor though the medium of a controller 38 supported in convenient position upon the chassis for manipulation the operator of the car.

In operation, the supporting and driving mechanisms allow the wheels,'when traversing the monorail, to occupy any position in conforming to the curvature of the rail without disturbing the relative position of the chassis with respect to the rail. However, in practice it has been found desirable to the members 19 against limited movement when the monorail car is traversing a straight stretch of track, and I have therefore provided a locking means for the member or bolt 39 which, as shown in Fig. 5 i'sadapted to be extended through openings 40- formed in the members 16 and 19, and secured therein by the means of anut 4:1. It will be understood that with the boltinapplied position movement of the member l9 witlr respect to the member 16 is posit-ively prevented, and the openings 40 are so arrangedthat when in registration the member 19 occupies such a position that the 'wheel 224s rigidly held in vertical alignment with the monorail.

What I claim is: V

1. In combination, a monorail car, a ringshape-d flat member-secured thereto, a supporting member below and bearing against the ring-shaped member, an axle secured to said supporting member, a wheel on the. axle, and means to allow limited oscillatory movement between the ring-shaped member and the supporting member. 7

' 2. In combmation, a monorail car, a ringshapedfiat member secured thereto, a supporting member below and bearing against the ring-shaped member, an axle secured to said suppc rting member, a wheel on the axle, a motor mounted on said supporting member, and means to drive the axle fr nn the motor.

"3. In combination, a member adapted to be fixed to a monorail car, a movable memher having pin and slot connections with the first member to allow oscillation of the movable member, and means for locking the movable member against oscillation and in a predetermined position.

4. In a monorail car construction, a single wheel, an axle therefor, bearii'igs on the end of the axle, a flat disc-like member secured be fixed to a monorail car, a movable member having surface contact-with the first member, means for connecting the member to permit limited oscillatory movementof the movable 1116H1l)(5l,'t111(l me'ans for locking the movable member against oscillation and in a predetermined position.

6. I11 combination, a member adapted to 'be fixed to a monorail car, a movable mem-' her having surface contact with the first member, means for connecting the member to permit limited oscillatory movement of the movable member, and means for locking the movable member against oscillation and in a predetermined position, comprising openings formed in the members adapted to register when the movable member-is in said predetermined position, and a .pin adapted to be extended through said openings.

' 7. In combination, a monorail car, and supporting and driving means for the car comprising wheel trucks each of which includes a member fixed'to the car, and a mow able membermounted for limited oscillatory movement with respect to the fixed member,

comprising wheel trucks each of which includes a member fixed to the car, and a movable member mounted for limited oscillatory movement with respect to the fixed member, a shaft sustained on the movable member, a wheel fixed to said shaft, a motor carried by the movable ,member and"opera tively connected to said shaft, and means for supplying current to all of the motors.

In testimony whereof I' have signed'my name to this specification.

THOMAS i-i. WRIGHT. 

